Keeping mags loaded will not usually damage the springs, it's the actual use that wears on the springs. If storing a mag long term loaded, leave one or two rounds out just to be safe. Most manuals will tell you if dry firing is going to hurt your gun, worst case, call the manufacturer, snap caps are good too.

Hay everyone I was just wondering do firing pins really break because of dry firing? Also dose keeping mags loaded damage there spring?

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I always use snap caps when dry firing. They are cheap insurance the way I see it but agree that best bet is to check with the gun manufacturer.

I read that keeping mags loaded will not hurt the springs...unless you stress it beyond its limit (i.e. compressed more than it should like putting an extra round). General consensus is to keep the mag loaded one less than full. Just for extra safety margin but as designed, mags should be fine even when fully loaded. It is the cycling (compression and decompression) that damages the spring.

the only firing pins that can break from dry firing are the ones that are on old revolvers where the pin is attached to the hammer.

think about it like this: how much force is the firing pin subjected to when a round goes off as opposed to when its dry fired?? which do you think is exerting more force on the part??

springs only lose their strength through work. sitting compressed or uncompressed does nothing to accelerate wear. only the compression/decompression cycle itself wears springs. if you want to wear out a magazine spring keep unloading it and loading it to let the spring "rest"

think about it like this: how much force is the firing pin subjected to when a round goes off as opposed to when its dry fired?? which do you think is exerting more force on the part??

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From what I've read, it is the spring or retainer pins that can break...not the firing pin. The firing pin or striker should only move forward so much...without the ammo to stop it, it will go further causing the problem(s).

my sr9c manual says its safe to dryfire with an empty magazine inserted. but not without. i used to always dryfire my m16a2 and a4 rifles.

mag springs i was unclear on too. i know we were told to empty them like once a month while overseas for a day or so to let them rest. but after reading this post i think i wont worry about it and just leave a couple rounds out

Hay everyone I was just wondering do firing pins really break because of dry firing? Also dose keeping mags loaded damage there spring?

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...well you sure know how to stir up a bucket of worms!!

There is only one for sure way to safe guard against damaging your firing pin, from dry firing.......you know....don't do it. On the other hand, your firing pin could be damaged from shooting your gun, poor maintenance, or poor manufacturing! The reason, or cause of firing pins being damaged from dry firing are many, but basically what is the design of the firing pin, the design of the firing pin holder, and the quality of the pin material. These are all pretty difficult for us layman to determine or measure, so we are better at examining the history of a firearm design and consulting with the guy who makes it. For example, back in the 60-70's the firing pins in Star auto pistol were very weak and many broke from the repeated pounding of dry firing even when using a snap cap device. However I have dry fired 1911's, S&W 38 revolvers, AR-15, and many others, thousands of times without a firing pin failure.

If you are concerned with a firing pin failure, and you should be, we all should be, checking the pin should be a part of your function check after cleaning. This doesn't assure the firing pin will not let you down when you most need it, but it may prevent you from using or carrying a gun, with a broken pin, in the event it broke on the last round you fired at the range. This has happened, I speak from experience!!!

Spring design is a science industry all it's own, as I'm sure any of the engineers here will attest to. I have had failures from magazine springs left compressed for extended times. I have had magazine spring failures from springs I just plain wore out using them. I think it has more to do with the magazine spring compression design, the quality of the spring, and the maintenance. Springs are designed to be compressed and released.....that's there job, to provide flexibility, not static support (oh the engineers are going to jump on that one!). I don't think manufactures design magazine spring to fail, but I'm not convinced they all have done a good job of designing or using quality manufacturing either.

If you compress a spring past it's design, I think we should expect some failure. And, if we use the spring, compressing and expanding, sooner or later I think a spring is going to wear out and fail. With that said, I haven't had too many problems either using or storing magazines lately......maybe they are making them better now, or maybe I finally am buying better quality magazines. Whether you leave your magazines loaded or empty, or partially full......and use them a lot.....they should give you a long service life.

As others have already stated.....stick with the magazine you get the best service out of, and keep a couple or half dozen, new ready to replace those that fail or whenever you are suspicious of a pending failure.

The average shooter probably has 2-3, maybe 5 magazines for their gun. I have that many dozen magazines for each gun. Magazine are no kidding matter.....they are the feed supply that offer the advantage of using or carrying that auto-loader.

Anyway.....nothing above scientific.....just the opinion of an Old Redneck.